Spider Plant Complete Guide: From Buying to Growing With Confidence

Spider plants thrive in spaces that receive bright to moderate indirect light. They do best when placed near windows where natural light is filtered—such as beside a bright window with sheer curtains or in areas that get ambient daylight without direct sun exposure. Because they can tolerate medium light well, you can also position them around 1.5–2 metres away from a sunny window.

Their adaptable nature makes them a great fit for various rooms: they brighten up bathrooms with filtered light, thrive in living rooms near east- or west-facing windows, and do well in bedrooms if there’s enough daylight. Hanging baskets are especially suitable for showcasing their trailing plantlets, but they also grow well in tabletop pots and on shelves.

1. 'Vittatum'

- Green leaves with central white stripe
- Popular for producing lots of baby plantlets
- Great for hanging baskets or bright shelves
- Growth Speed: Fast
- Price Range: $25- $60
- Maintenance Difficulty: Very Easy

2. All-Green Spider Plant

- Lush, non-variegated green foliage
‍- Grows vigorously, though harder to find
- Ideal for minimalist plant lovers
- Growth Speed: Medium
- Price Range: $30- $70
- Maintenance Difficulty: Easy

Buying a spider plant online in New Zealand is simple if you know what to look for. Search for an established online nursery or plant retailer that offers clear photos, detailed plant descriptions, and reliable customer reviews. Prioritize shops that ship healthy, well-rooted plants in proper packaging to prevent damage in transit.

When browsing, check the size and maturity of the plant being sold—some listings offer starter plants or baby spiderettes, while others ship fully grown specimens. Look for retailers that specify whether the plant comes potted or bare-root and whether the variety is the common ‘Vittatum’ with a white stripe or a rarer all-green form.

Spider plants are among the easiest houseplants to propagate, thanks to their natural tendency to produce baby plantlets. These offshoots grow from the ends of long, arching stems and often sprout roots while still attached to the parent. To propagate, place several small pots filled with damp potting mix near the mother plant and gently press the plantlets into the soil so that the root buds are lightly covered.

Using a bent paperclip or a small stone can help hold them in place. After two to three weeks, the plantlets should root and begin to grow on their own. At that point, you can snip them off from the parent plant and discard any extra offshoots. This method allows you to multiply your spider plant collection quickly and easily, whether for repotting around your home or sharing with friends.

Spider plants are generally hardy, but scale insects can occasionally cause trouble. These pests appear as brown discs on leaves and may cause damage if left untreated. Gently scrape them off with your fingernail and repeat the process every few days. Isolate the plant until the issue is resolved to avoid spreading pests to other houseplants.

Leaf tips turning brown is a frequent issue and is typically caused by fluoridated tap water or excessive fertilizer. Use distilled or rainwater and trim brown tips with clean scissors.

‍Failure to bloom or produce plantlets can result from a pot that’s too large, excessive fertilizer, or lights being left on at night. To encourage flowering, keep the plant slightly rootbound and expose it to natural seasonal darkness by placing it in a dark room for a few weeks in autumn or winter.

‍Plantlets dying after transplanting often means they were too old or callused. Small to medium plantlets root best—plant them in damp soil and wait two weeks before separating from the parent plant.